‘Cause we are broken
What must we do to restore
Our innocence
And all the promise we adored?
Give us life again
‘Cause we just wanna be whole
– We Are Broken, Paramore

---

Thursday, February 12, 2004

Lake House: Living Room

Elizabeth rolled her arm, wincing as Jason removed the blood pressure cuff. “Well? It’s lower, isn’t? I can feel a difference this morning—”

“Yeah.” Jason took his first easy breath in days. “It’s 121 over 81. That’s the closest it’s been to normal in weeks.”

“I could feel it when I woke up, you know? My head felt clearer, and I’m not as tired.” She sighed happily. “I almost feel normal.” Then she winced as Cameron kicked hard at her ribs. “Well, except for the soccer player.” She reached for Jason’s hand and he grinned. “See? Even he knows I’m feeling better.”

“I’m glad.” He kissed her, lingering with his forehead resting against hers. “This is what I wanted for you. You needed the rest.”

“Monica also said things could ebb and flow, remember?” She squeezed his hand. “I might have days like yesterday again, too. I want more days like today, but it’s not guaranteed.”

“I know.” He hesitated. “Maybe we should stay until Monday.”

“Jason—”

“If you’re feeing better today, another few days could only help,” he pointed out.

“And they might not make a difference. I had good days at home, even with everything else going on.” She curled into his side. “I’m not saying no, Jason. I just—I’ll be worried if we stay just for me—”

“I wanted time away. Just the two of us. We haven’t been alone this much in months.”

“Or ever,” she admitted. “It’s been nice, just us. I’m glad you made this happen.” She kissed his jaw. “I don’t want you to think if we go home early, I’ll feel like you’re choosing Carly over me. You know I want her to be okay, too.”

“I know you do.”

“And it’s not just Carly. Bobbie’s in the middle of it, too. So is Justus. If us being at home makes it slightly easier for everyone, then I’ll be better for it. Plus, you know Monica will feel a lot better if she can nag me in person every day.”

“Yeah, that’s true.” Jason slowly rubbed circles over her belly, and Cameron rolled a few times before settling down. “But you asked me to make sure we give Cam his best chance. A few more days here might be better for him.”

She wrinkled her nose. “You think you’re clever, don’t you?”

“I have my moments.”

Elizabeth sighed dramatically, pleased when her lungs only mildly protested. “All right. We’ll see what Justus says, and if you think we can stay, we will.” She rested her head in the crook of his shoulder, closed her eyes, and just let herself drift. Having her husband all to herself wasn’t the worst thing in the world, after all.

Blue Moon: Office

“I’m surprised you let me through the front door,” Luke said as Tommy Marcheski ambled over for a casual, quick handshake. “Last time you saw me, you threatened to put a bullet in my backside.”

Tommy shrugged. “I’m sure you deserved it, but—” He squinted. “I can’t really remember why I wanted to kill you.”

“Me either.” Luke shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’ve been dipping my toe back in—not permanent-like because my kid is a cop now—”

Tommy winced. “I hated to see it. Your boy had a quick mind and nimble fingers. What we could have done with him—”

“Well, you know kids. They never do what you expect. I heard yours is a prosecutor—”

“Hey, hey—” Tommy shut the door and glared at Luke. “He’s in Los Angeles, okay? You don’t need to be telling people that.” His scowl deepened. “If you’re here to argue for Sonny—”

“I’m here as his wife’s uncle, not his friend.” Luke paused. “I’ve heard stuff at my place, Tommy. Rumors. Complaints. The men aren’t happy, and having seen Sonny lately, I think I got a good idea why.”

The other man exhaled slowly and returned to his desk. “Sonny hasn’t been doing jackshit for months,” he muttered. “Doesn’t take meetings, doesn’t do anything except yell at Morgan and anyone who gets in his way.”

“Jason asked me to keep an eye on my niece while he was out of town.” Luke raised his brows. “What are your thoughts on him taking this long, extended honeymoon in the middle of all of this?”

“I wasn’t happy,” Tommy said slowly, “but I’ve met his wife, and she’s a good kid. She’s been through hell, and there’s some health things going on. With the baby.” His mouth took on a pinched look. “He’s picked his family over all of this, and I can’t blame him. Loyalty’s never been his problem.”

Luke’s chest eased a bit. “I’m glad to hear it. Jason’s an old friend, but Elizabeth was like a daughter to me. He’s done what he can to keep things stable while he’s gone, but—”

“I have no problem with the wife,” Tommy repeated. “Or your niece. I like both of them, and it’s out of respect for them and the heavy load Morgan’s carrying that I gave him time.”

And that’s what Luke had been afraid of. He sat down and met Tommy’s gaze. “I need to know everything.”

Kelly’s: Dining Room

“You’ve barely touched your breakfast.”

Lulu glanced over at the table where Dante was sitting with his mother, Olivia, and frowned, watching as the older woman gestured at Dante’s mostly untouched omelet.

“Ma, stop worrying—”

Lulu didn’t intend to eavesdrop, she really didn’t. She remembered what she and Dante had talked about a few days ago—that he was dealing with something related to Sonny Corinthos—

But she also remembered what else they’d talked about—Lulu’s habit of telling people things they didn’t want to hear, even when they were the truth. And how that made people hate her.

So she kept working, waiting on her tables, refilling coffees, and keeping one ear on Olivia and Dante.

“I know things have been hard these last few months,” Olivia said. “I was hoping you’d feel better once the hearing and all the legal crap was done, but—”

“Ma—”

“Is it me?” Olivia asked. “Are you upset that I’ve stayed in Port Charles? That I’m living here now? I know you wanted to get away from me—”

“No, I came here for a job.” Dante’s smile was sour. “Vinnie recommended the academy up here, remember? Fast track to detective. You came here for Aunt Lois and Brooke. I don’t blame you for sticking after things went down the way they did. It’s not any of that—”

“Then why do I gotta use the guilt to get you to meet me for a meal?” Olivia demanded. “Why do you look like you’re gonna vomit—”

“Ma—”

Lulu might have stayed quiet—she really might have managed it, but she’d passed their table just as Olivia had gone down that road, and she could see the tears in the older woman’s eyes, the distress in thinking Dante was angry with her.

She thought of her own mother, constantly swallowing terrible things and closing off from the traumas of her life—and then escaping to the safety of her own mind, then getting trapped there.

“It’s about Sonny Corinthos,” Lulu blurted out, startling both Dante and Olivia, who stared up at her. “That’s what he’s upset about. Not you.”

“Damn it, Lu—” Dante growled. “What the hell—”

“Sonny?” Olivia repeated. “Dante—”

Dante shoved himself to his feet, tossing down some money with jerky movements. “You know, maybe Dillon had a point,” he snapped at her. “Some good fucking listener you are.”

Then he stalked out of the dining room, leaving Lu shaken and ashamed of herself, wishing she could drag the words back. She turned to Olivia, but Dante’s mother was already rushing out after her son.

Port Charles Municipal Building: Mayor’s Office

Lois strode into Ned’s office with a scowl on her face. Ned set down the phone he’d just been picking up. “Uh oh, I know that face. What disaster are we facing—”

She furrowed her brow. “What? Oh. No. I was just talking to Julia, and she said you’d cleared this weekend because you were going out of town. I didn’t know about any trip—”

“It’s just a quick overnight trip down to New Orleans,” Ned said. He gestured for her to take a seat. “I’m leaving Saturday morning and coming back Sunday.”

“New Orleans? What’s down there?”

Ned made a face and picked up a pen to twirl with his fingers. “My cousin. AJ,” he added. “Alexis asked me to arrange a meeting, and once I did that, I started to think about how he could be useful.”

Lois snorted, crossing her legs. “AJ hasn’t been useful since 1993.” Then she sighed. “I’m sorry. That’s not fair—”

“It’s also not wrong.” Ned got to his feet. “Alexis is representing Carly in her divorce case. I’m warning you in case that comes up later with the media. Once she files—”

“The media is going to eat that up. Why is she taking that risk? I didn’t think she liked Carly.”

Ned hesitated. Here was his chance to come clean. To bring Lois into the circle of people who knew about Kristina. He opened his mouth, then closed it. Telling Lois that the daughter he had left wasn’t even his —seemed unfair somehow. To Alexis, who had trusted him, and Lois, who had already suggested over the summer Ned had been too distracted by Kristina to pay attention to Brooke. It was an uncomfortable situation, and he wasn’t ready to address it yet.

“Carly’s been through a lot this year,” Ned said, wandering over to the window. “I think Alexis is just trying to help. And she’s always had a soft spot for Michael, from back when Jason was still involved, and she was representing him.”

“I suppose that makes sense.” Lois made a note in her portfolio. “I’ll probably use that spin. Children and whatnot. Let’s hope it’s not needed. Does she think it’ll be an acrimonious split, or—” She paused. “Wait, you said Alexis is the one that asked for the meeting.”

“Yes—”

“Which means Carly is doing something with custody.” Lois shook her head but made another note. “Bringing AJ into what will already be a volatile situation. That should be interesting. And with AJ’s connection to you, Alexis to the city — I’ll be surprised if the media doesn’t pick it up. There’s nothing you can do to convince Alexis to pass on the case?”

“No. I tried,” Ned added, “but she’s pretty set on it, and I’m not opposed to AJ getting another chance with his kid.” He gripped the back of his office chair, the grief sweeping over him. He closed his eyes. “We can’t get one with our little girl, so I’m maybe feeling a bit too invested in this.”

“I understand, and you’ll probably be a good buffer—”

“I’m going to ask him to take over ELQ here at home. Mother can’t handle New York and Port Charles. She offered to come here, but then we’d just need someone to replace her.”

“This makes sense,” Lois said, “and if we can spin the kid angle—Alexis is involved because of her connection to Michael and your connection to AJ—” She nodded. “Sonny’s not as popular as he used to be. We put another one of those polls out to see if we’re starting to rebound. Sonny still beats Floyd and the PCPD—”

Ned winced. “Great—”

“But,” Lois continued with a half smile. “The mayor’s office is more popular than Jason. Elizabeth still wins the day, and I know Carly has a great deal of sympathy from the PCPD mess.” She folded her arms. “Thanks for the heads up. I’ll get in touch with some sources at the Sun and the Herald when she’s ready to file to keep the focus on Sonny. We get lucky, and Elizabeth supports Carly, we’re golden.”

Ned forced a smile, wishing he felt as confident as his ex-wife. He didn’t care if they tore apart Sonny in the press as long as Kristina’s paternity remained a secret.

Corinthos Penthouse: Living Room

The conversation he’d had with Luke yesterday was still rolling around in his head. What did Luke think he was doing?

Luke was soft. Luke was out of this world, and he had some damn nerve dragging up old business.

That was done. That was before. If Spencer knew what was good for him—

Sonny dragged his hands down his face. He just had to keep himself focused on the goal. He had to find Lansing, murder him in his sleep, and get his kids back. If he could convince Carly to give him another chance, fine.

But he was going to get his damn kids back.

“Yo, Mr. C, Justus is here.”

Sonny turned to find his lawyer striding in and Max pulling the door closed. “You need to talk him about letting just anyone upstairs.”

“I’ll put it on my list,” Justus said calmly, setting his briefcase on the desk. “Carly’s hired a lawyer, Sonny.”

Sonny took a deep breath, accepted that. “I figured she would after last week,” he muttered. He poured himself a bourbon, frowning when he needed to shake the last drops of the bottle to fill the tumbler. Hadn’t he just put out a new one a day ago?

“She hired the lawyer last week,” Justus said carefully. “We need to talk about what she might be putting in the petition.”

Kelly’s: Parking Lot

Dante tried to fit his key into the door of his car, but he was shaking. From rage, from worry, from nerves—he didn’t really know what he was feeling.

How could Lulu have done that to him? He’d thought she was on his side—he’d started to think that—

It didn’t matter what he thought. Not anymore.

“Dante—”

He shook his head even as his mother appeared in the corner of his eye. “I’m not talking about it, Ma—”

“What did that girl mean, it’s about Sonny? What about him? Dante Angelo Falconieri, you look at me right now, and tell me—”

“I know, okay?” Dante hissed. He glared at his mother, who had gone as pale as the snow around them. “Grandma told me months ago. I know he’s my father—”

“Dante—” Olivia swallowed. “When? How? Why—”

“After the hearing, when she slapped me. She told me I wasn’t any better than my father. It’s true, isn’t it?” he demanded.

Olivia closed her eyes. “Yes. Yes, it’s true, but—”

“I don’t want to talk about it. I didn’t tell anyone—”

“But that waitress—”

“She’s no one,” Dante cut in. He saw a movement near the gate that led from the parking lot to the diner and saw Lulu. “No one,” he repeated, meeting her eyes. Lulu flinched then disappeared back into the courtyard.

“Dante—”

“I said I don’t want to talk about it.” This time, when he put the key into the door, it unlocked. He slid into the car, and Olivia stepped out of the way. Dante started the engine and peeled out of the parking lot, wishing he could drive away from everything else as easily.

General Hospital: Tony Jones’ Office

His father beamed when Lucas pushed open the door. “This is a surprise!”

“Hey. I hope it’s okay to just pop up,” Lucas said, a bit unsure. He leaned against the door frame. “Kelly said you didn’t have anything scheduled for a little bit—”

“No, no. It’s a light day.” Tony Jones got to his feet and hugged Lucas. “How’s school? I haven’t seen you in a few weeks.”

“Yeah, sorry. The new semester is killing me, and I’ve, uh, been sticking close to home.” Lucas shoved his hands in his pockets, waiting for his father to sit back down. “It’s kind of why I’m here.”

“Is everything okay? You and Felix?”

“No, that’s great. Um, I told you at Christmas we were moving in together. That’s good so far. We’re in some of the same classes.” Lucas shifted. “It’s good,” he repeated. “Thanks for helping him with the nursing program next year.”

Tony held up his hand. “Felix had great credentials, and he charmed the recruitment officer on his own. All your mother and I did was make a call. General Hospital is the lucky one.” He tipped his head. “But that’s not why you’re here.”

“No.” Lucas rubbed his hand against his chest. “I’ve been sticking close to home for the last few weeks. Months really. Since Carly came back.”

“Ah.” Tony leaned back. “I knew she was at the Brownstone with the boys.”

“Yeah. And I don’t know if Mom’s talked to you or anything about how things are—um, I mean with Carly and Sonny. Not that you care, but—”

“She hasn’t mentioned much, but I hear things in the grapevine. I know Carly’s been having some issues since last summer. Are you having problems with her?”

“No. No.” God, why was this so hard? Why couldn’t he just— “The thing is, the kids, they’re um, I mean they’re technically—”

“They’re your nephews,” Tony murmured. “You’ve been spending time with them?”

“Michael especially,” Lucas added, his chest tightening. He remembered a time when he’d thought Michael would be his brother, not his nephew. When Tony was supposed to be there. “The thing is, Dad, I feel like, um—” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know. Lately, at least since December, it’s sort of feeling like she’s…my family. Like she’s my sister. I mean, she always was, but—”

“But now you feel it,” Tony said, his eyes a bit somber. “You’re getting closer to her?”

“I guess. I mean, it’s not like—she’s not the sister I wanted,” Lucas said, a bit miserably. “That’ll always be BJ, but—”

“Did you think you had to apologize for that?”

Lucas stumbled to a stop, then frowned at him. “No. I mean, yes. I mean, it feels wrong. To like, include Carly in anything. She’s just always been there. Taking up Mom’s time. And I guess that’s still true. But it doesn’t feel like I’m supposed to care about her. I don’t want to.”

“What happened between me and Carly was years ago,” Tony said. “And it’s not a time I’m proud of. I hurt a lot of people, Lucas. Including you—”

“So did she—”

“It would be easy to blame it all on her,” his father continued with that soft, kind tone Lucas knew so well. “To blame the affair, the way you got in the middle, the grief I felt over the baby, and how badly things went for a few years after—but all I had to do was say no.” Tony got to his feet. “You’re a good kid, Lucas, and you’re growing into a wonderful young man. I’m proud to call you my son. In the last year, Carly was kidnapped and traumatized. Her marriage fell apart. She’s someone your mother loves. If you’ve accepted even a part of her into your heart, Lucas, despite the past, that says a great deal about the man you’re going to be.”

His throat was tightened. “You’re not mad.”

“Not even a little.” Tony came over and hugged him again. “I didn’t handle losing BJ well. Neither did your mother. And you got lost in the middle. Don’t think I don’t know how we failed you—”

“Dad—”

“But instead of becoming bitter, instead of holding it against us, you’ve forgiven us.” Tony smiled at him.

Lucas felt the weight lift from his shoulders as he absorbed his father’s words. “Thanks, Dad.” He embraced his father one more time, holding him tight. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Brownstone: Kitchen

“We’re seeing a lot of you around here lately,” Bobbie said as she led her brother into the kitchen where Carly was looking over paperwork for the club.

“Yeah, well, can’t be a deadbeat forever. Caroline, how’s tricks?” Luke asked.

“Luke.” Carly sat back, setting down her pen. “Is this going to be about Sonny?”

“I won’t stay long. I gotta get to the club.” Luke drew out the chair across from Carly and sat down. “I wasn’t happy when Lucky told me Sonny didn’t listen to him—”

“I didn’t think it would work, but—” Carly rubbed her temple. “I wanted to try everything I could other than filing charges. I figure that’s the last thing Jason needs when he’s out of town.”

“I know. The thing is, I went up to see Sonny myself yesterday, and he was mostly his old self,” Luke told her. “I know you’ve been worried about his state of mind, losing track of time and place—but he and I had a real conversation about the old days, about today, and everything in between.”

“And because he was having a good day, I should change my mind about the divorce?” Carly retorted. “Luke—”

“Actually, I want the opposite. The fact of the matter is that it makes me more nervous that he was having himself a good day and he was still as angry as ever. He understands perfectly fine what’s going on. Always has.”

Bobbie frowned. “I don’t understand what you’re getting at.”

“According to you and Morgan, this all went south when Lansing jumped bail and Sonny got twitchy about protection. He basically locked you in the penthouse with no keys, guards, or access to access to the outside world. This was all before the bedroom.”

“Yes.”

“The man who did that? He’d do it again. I saw that in him today. I know that man. I’ve always known him.” Luke waited a beat. “Lansing still breathing makes Sonny feel weak. And knowing what I know about the organization, it makes him look weak—”

“Damn it—”

“No, no, let me finish. I made some calls, and the thing is—all of this isn’t going unnoticed. Morgan doesn’t play politics, he never needed to. Even when he was a kid in over his head, he never paid attention to the petty bullshit. Everyone knows Ric Lansing is alive because you and Elizabeth wanted to testify against him. No one in a position to do damage has a problem with that.”

“What are you getting at?”

“Everyone knows there’s something rotten going on. Morgan’s running things behind the scenes, but he’s on a deadline to make it permanent or some guys are gonna do it for him.”

Carly stared at her uncle. “A deadline.”

“He asked for time. April.” Luke tipped his head. “None of us know what’s going on with Elizabeth and the baby, but we all know something ain’t right. April is her due date. There’s no going back.” He took a deep breath. “Sonny’s about to go through a power struggle he hasn’t dealt with since Frank Smith was around. You do not want to be in this when that starts. You need to get this divorce, Caroline. And you need to be away from Sonny when this explodes.”

“Luke, are saying Carly’s in danger from—”

“Not from the organization. The guys I’m talking to—there’s no quarrel with you or Elizabeth. Everyone blames Sonny for it. If he’d taken care of Lansing last year, none of this would be happening. I’m saying if you’re anywhere around Sonny when he realizes that he’s about to lose everything—locking you in the bedroom is gonna look like a favor.”

Lake House: Front Porch

Jason closed the door behind him, leaving Elizabeth in the living room with one of her shows, then dialed Justus’s number.

“Hey, man. I didn’t think you’d call back tonight,” his cousin said. “How’s Elizabeth?”

“Having a good day.” Jason stared out over the frozen waters of Lake Seneca. “You left me a message?”

There was silence on the other side of the phone, and Jason braced himself. “Justus—”

“I don’t know anything for certain yet, just rumors.” Another pause. “Mikki and I had dinner at the mansion last night, and AJ came up.”

“AJ,” Jason repeated. “Why?”

“Ned and Alexis are flying down to New Orleans to talk to him. The official reason is ELQ. Ned has resigned from the company, and Tracy and Edward are getting on in age, so it’s a good cover.”

“But the timing,” Jason said, “is suspicious.”

“Yeah. I think Carly’s going to pull AJ into the custody battle.”

Jason rubbed the back of his neck. “Oh, man. Sonny is going to go ballistic. Did you tell him?”

“Absolutely fucking not. I’m not insane,” Justus said. “And I’m under no legal obligation to, though I’m riding close to the line on this one. All I told him was that Carly’s probably going full custody.”

“What did he say?”

“Sonny flipped out. He’s ready to go nuclear and destroy her. Dragging out that paternity crap with Tony Jones, the shooting, her time in Ferncliffe—just throwing everything at her.”

Jason turned and looked at Elizabeth, visible through the windows. She laughed at something on her show. He said nothing to Justus.

“I can keep things under control here until you get back on Monday. This is bad, but I think I’ve convinced Sonny that if he goes to the Brownstone, it will make his case worse. I don’t think he believes she’ll actually file. He’s angry and sliding out of control, but I can probably—” Justus hesitated. “I can string him along by prepping opposition against Carly. I don’t really want to,” he added, “but it should buy you the last three days.”

Justus might be right, but it also might backfire. Sonny might just get fueled by the reminders of Carly’s perceived crimes and go after her anyway. “Let me call you back.”

Jason went back into the living room, locking the door behind him. He settled himself on the sofa. Elizabeth offered him her bowl of popcorn, and he wordlessly took a handful.

“It’s a marathon of last year’s Road Rules,” she said as if he’d asked her a question. “They’re in the South Pacific.”

“That’s the one where they travel in an RV, right?” Jason said, squinting.

“Yeah. You had to sit through a marathon last October.” She curled into his side and tugged the throw blanket up to her shoulders. “When I was on bed rest after everything happened. You liked it because it’s basically a travel show.”

“I remember.”

They finished the episode in relatively comfortable silence, but when the credits rolled, she turned her head, resting her chin on his shoulder. “It’s bad, isn’t it?”

Jason tensed. “Yeah.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No. Not really. But I guess I should.” He rubbed a hand down one side of his face.

“Justus thinks Carly is going full custody and might drag in AJ,” he admitted. “He thinks he can keep a handle on it for a few more days, but it might—it could blow up any minute if Sonny finds out Carly is talking to AJ.”

“Okay.” She waited. “What do you want to do? Should we go home? Will it help if we do? Because we can leave in the morning.”

He considered the question. Would Sonny have stormed the Brownstone if Jason had been there for him to yell at? Probably not, but there was still a chance—

And if Sonny finds out about AJ, he might find it easier to cross the hall first. He’d blow up, but he’d blow up at Jason.

And if Elizabeth was in the room—

“No,” Jason said finally. “I don’t think us being there will make it better or worse. It will just give Sonny someone else to scream at, and I don’t want you in the middle of it.” In fact, he almost hoped Sonny did lose it before they got back.

“Jason—”

“Luke is doing what I asked him to do. He’s staying on top of things. Carly told me she can handle it.” He waited a beat. “I need to trust her. And Justus. They’re telling me they can give us a few more days.”  He met her eyes. “So we’re going to take it. It’ll be the last quiet we have for a long time.”

“Okay,” she said finally. “I trust you.”

“Okay.” He kissed her forehead. “What do you want for dinner? We’ve some food left in the fridge.”

“You should go get us another pizza. Cam wants pepperoni.”

Despite the worry lingering in the back of his head, Jason found himself smiling. He recognized that look in her eyes. She would try to get his mind off what was happening, and he decided to let her. “He does, does he?”

“Yep. And it’s your job as his dad to get him what he wants. After this episode.” She stifled a yawn. “Because you’re comfy, and I want to take a nap.”

“Sounds like a plan.” He listened to her slightly shallow breathing as it slowed, then felt her head slump as she slid into slumber. No matter what was happening back home, staying here was worth the risk.

If she was determined to give their son more time, it was up to Jason to make sure Elizabeth had her best chance to come out on the other side.

When you feel all alone
And a loyal friend is hard to find
You’re caught in a one-way street
With the monsters in your head
When hopes and dreams are far away
And you feel like you can’t face the day
– Crash and Burn, Lifehouse

---

Wednesday, February 11, 2004

Lake House: Master Bedroom

Just a few days ago, she’d been able to argue with her husband, raising her voice, insisting she was fine. Today, Elizabeth could barely lift her arm to block out the sunlight streaming through the muster.

The fatigue had settled into her bones, and even though she was lying still, Elizabeth felt almost dead. This morning, her eyes had fluttered open, and that seemed to be all the energy she could manage.

She drew in a breath, wincing when her lungs refused to expand fully, then forced herself into a sitting position. She was pressing shaky fingers to her wrist when Jason came in.

“Hey, I wanted—” he stopped in the doorway, a cup of tea in hand. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m so tired,” she said softly. “Can you check…” She couldn’t even gesture at the drawer, but he understood.

Jason set the tea down, then jerked open the drawer. “Here—” He fit the mask over her face, then wrapped the cuff around her bicep.

She hated this. She hated every inch of this. Why couldn’t it be over? Why did it have to be so hard—She winced as the cuff expanded and squeezed her arm.

He exhaled slowly. “It’s higher than Monday,” he told her, “and you’re nearly at the top end of the range Monica said was normal.” Jason put the cuff back. “Elizabeth—”

“Not right now. Please.” She closed her eyes.

“I know you don’t want to hear this—”

“Jason—”

“It’s twenty-nine weeks now. You’ve given the baby seven more days—”

Even though a piece of her knew he was right, she still couldn’t do it. “I read the complications at all the weeks. It’s not good enough. Maybe I’m just more tired than usual today. Pregnant women get tired—”

“Not tired enough that they can barely open their eyes and with the CTEPH—” Jason cut himself off, his tone so aggravated that she opened her eyes. “I don’t want to argue about this again, but—”

“My blood pressure, my pulse, it’s all normal. I don’t even use the oxygen much. Monica said—”

“Monica wanted you to deliver last week. When we go back, do you really think that’s going to change?” Jason handed her the tea. “I’ll go get you some water and your meds.”

“Do you think I want this?” she asked, putting her hand on his arm, stopping his exit from the room. “Do you think this is how I want to spend the first few weeks of our marriage? To have this conversation over and over again?”

“No.” Jason cleared his throat and repeated it in a more gentle tone. “No, I know you don’t want this. I just—”

“I can’t take a single day from his life to make myself more comfortable. I can’t. You wouldn’t either, you know you wouldn’t.”

“And if the positions were reversed, would you be happy seeing me get sicker?”

She pressed her lips together. “No.” She switched off the oxygen and removed the tubes. “I would hate it, and I’d argue with you, too. But I couldn’t—” She pressed a hand to her belly, feeling a kick against her palm. “I couldn’t protect my baby last year. Even if Faith hadn’t shoved me down the stairs, there’s no telling what might have happened with the pills Ric was feeding me. If he would have stopped at Valium—”

“Elizabeth—” He sank onto the bed. “I know—”

“I did that. I married him even though I knew he’d done terrible things, and I put my child at risk—”

“If you’d known about the pills, you wouldn’t have stayed—”

“I lost that baby. I couldn’t protect it—” Her breath faltered. “Please. Please let me protect Cameron for as long as I can.”

Jason drew her against him, tucking her head into the crook of his shoulder. “Promise me one thing.”

“What?”

“When we go to see Monica and Kelly next week, if they still want you to push up the delivery date, you’ll consider it more seriously.”

“I will.” Elizabeth squeezed his hand. “I promise.”

Port Charles Municipal Building: City Attorney’s Office

“I think this is a mistake.”

Alexis wrinkled her nose as she handed the file to the messenger. “Make sure it’s filed by the end of business today,” she told him. “Thank you.”

“Right away, Ms. Davis.”

When the messenger had left, Alexis turned back to Ned with a sigh. “You’ve said the same thing for days, Ned. You’re not changing my mind—”

“If you step outside of city business to defend Carly in what will be a very bitter divorce fight, people are going to wonder.” Ned leaned against her desk. “I don’t understand why you feel obligated—”

“Carly has suspected the truth about Kristina since the beginning and said nothing.” When Ned rolled his eyes, Alexis scowled. “Don’t dismiss that. Yes, she kept the secret for her own reasons, but she still kept it, Ned. Think about it — Sonny is out there, desperate to protect his kids from the specter of Ric Lansing and God knows what else. Carly could have turned him away from herself at any point.”

Ned frowned. “I don’t understand—”

“If she’d told Sonny about Kristina last fall, Sonny would have focused on me. Do you think you’d be mayor right now? She could have done it while I was suspended last year — would we even have Kristina right now if she had?” Alexis continued. “I don’t care why Carly kept it secret. I care that she did even when it might have helped her to divulge it.” She went over to the window to stare out over the vastness of the Port Charles park.

She’d never look at it the same after the horrors of the previous year. “She protected my daughter. She’s asking me to help her protect her boys. How can I turn away from that?”

“Alexis—”

“And she’s right. The evidence she needs to get Sonny out of her life for good — I would need it for my own custody case. The truth is going to come out one day, Ned,” she said softly. “I’m not arrogant enough to think we can keep it forever. I just—I need more time for Kristina to grow up. To be her own person. We need to protect her until she’s old enough to make her own decisions. Carly’s giving me the fuel to do that. She’s promised to testify in a custody hearing if I need it—”

“And you trust Carly to keep that promise?”

“A year ago, no. But Carly is not the same person she was once, Ned. You know that. You’re closer to the situation than I am,” she told him. “Am I that insane for trusting her?”

Ned stroked his chin. “No,” he said finally. “No, I don’t think so. I just—Kristina’s the only daughter I have left,” he said softly. “Maybe it’s just me being selfish. And scared. If the truth comes out, then I can’t keep her.”

“I will never forget who stood by me when I needed it the most. She will always be yours,” Alexis promised. She straightened the lapels of his suit and met his eyes. “I can’t tell you what Carly and I have talked about, you know that, but I want you to know that I am convinced that she’s going through with this divorce. The only way Sonny will see those boys is if he gets help with that anger. Last week, at the Brownstone? That never would have happened to the Sonny I knew once.”

“What if he gets it together?” Ned demanded roughly. “What if he turns back into that Sonny, and Carly starts to feel guilty about his not knowing?”

“Well, now I have a new thing to worry about,” Alexis admitted. “We’ll cross that bridge if it comes to it. Ned, I wanted my daughter away from the very darkness that Carly is trying to escape. My feeling and history with Carly aside — how could I ever forgive myself if something happened to those boys and I didn’t help?”

“You wouldn’t. And I wouldn’t forgive myself either for talking you out of it.” He kissed her forehead. “What can I do to help?”

“I’m glad you asked.” She smiled brightly at him. “You know how to get in touch with your AJ, don’t you?”

Ned lifted his brows. “The recovering alcoholic and Carly’s ex-husband? That AJ?”

“Yes.” Alexis waited. “We need him to help with the custody petitions. If he’d agree to meet with Carly, that would be great.”

“Oh, sure, piece of cake,” Ned muttered. “I’ll set that up and then go solve world peace.” When Alexis just glared at him, he added, “As long as we’re talking about miracles, why not?”

Brownstone: Lucas & Felix’s Apartment

Lucas dumped his organic chemistry book on the table, then dropped down to the table to dig into his homework. He had a quiz in the next class, and somehow, the professor was already talking about midterms. He wanted to be a doctor, but did he have to master six types of chemistry to get there?

“Hey.” The door behind him opened, and Felix came in, tossing aside his own bag. “You starting organic already?”

“Yeah, we’ll probably be at it until late, so maybe a pizza tonight?” Felix tapped his shoulder, and Lucas dragged his face out of his books to find his boyfriend arching a brow. “What?”

“Nothing. Just wanted to see if it’d work.” Felix curled a hand around Lucas’s neck and drew him into a soft kiss.

There was something really great about being fully out that Lucas could and would never take for granted. Since he and Felix had moved in together a few months ago, it almost felt like he was finally allowed to be normal. To have what other people. To wake up beside someone he loved, who loved him in return. A year ago, he’d been terrified to tell his parents he was gay. Now he and his boyfriend rented an apartment from his mother, and his father had arranged for Felix to get into the nursing program at General Hospital next year.

Life was pretty good right now, except—

“What’s that face about?” Felix asked. He disappeared into the kitchen, then emerged a minute or two later with their usual stash of study fuel — Gatorade and Doritos. He dumped it on the table. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, just thinking about how good things are for me right now. I mean, other than organic chem.” He exhaled slowly. “But then I thought about Michael and how much everything sucks for him.”

“And for your sister.” Felix sat down and flipped open his book, searching for the right chapter. “I’ve never been through a divorce, but I know what it’s like to have your family turn into strangers right in front of you.”

“Felix—” Lucas winced. As wonderful as his parents had been, Felix’s family hadn’t taken it as well. He’d been out to them since high school, but the DuBois had decided to treat it like a phase and kept referring to Lucas as that roommate. “I’m sorry—”

“It’s their loss, not mine. And I got a whole bunch of people who like me just the way I am.” Felix smiled, and though it was genuine, it didn’t light up his face the way it usually did. “I got you, don’t I? And your mom is awesome. And your friends and cousins all decided I’m okay, so I’ve got people. That matters.”

“I think Maxie likes you better than me. She said if we break up, you get her.” Felix laughed, which made Lucas feel a lot better. “Your family will come around.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. I can’t let it get me down. And anyway, we were talking about your sister and her kids—” Felix paused. “You’re making that face again. Should I not call her that?”

“No—” Lucas leaned back. “No, it’s fine. It’s just—when you say it, I keep thinking of BJ. Carly’s not exactly the big sister I had in mind.” He ripped open the Doritos, not interested in pursuing the topic.

“No, but she’s the big sister you’ve got. And you’ve done right by her, so I hope you’re not worried about that.”

“I’m not concerned with her,” Lucas muttered. “I just like her kids.” That wasn’t entirely correct, though, was it? He had been worried about her these last few weeks. The last few months. Since she’d come back in December. She was different from the brash and irritating bitch who had broken up his parents’ marriage or the selfish brat who always sucked up his mother’s attention and energy.

“Lucas?”

“It feels wrong,” he admitted, “to call Carly my sister. Like—” He sighed. “Like I’m betraying my dad. He never really got over BJ. Even for me. I knew he and my mom were having issues before that. They were separated when I was a kid after she died. Then they got back together for a while. Then Carly happened.” His chest tightened. “Dad just walked away from us. He still had visitation and stuff, but he was excited for the kid he thought he was having. His own biological kid. Another chance, he used to say. A fresh start.”

“Oh, man—”

“He didn’t mean it the way I took it back then,” Lucas hurried when Felix winced. “And I’m older now, so I get what he meant. But that kid he wanted so bad was Michael, and he wanted to have that with Carly. So maybe it’s not sitting with me right for her to just be part of the family. He was really messed up after all that. Even worse than BJ. And I always blamed her.”

“Do you think he’d be mad you’re hanging with her and the kids?” Felix asked. “Because Doc Jones doesn’t seem like that kind of guy—”

“No, he’s the best. He’s all the back, you know? He got himself together a few years ago, and it’s been okay since. And we’re closer now than we ever were. I was scared to tell him about you and me, I mean—gay was one thing—but by the time I told everyone—” Lucas shrugged. “I don’t know. We were already kind of serious. It felt like a lot. But Dad barely even blinked. He was happy for me. And he likes you. Don’t think I don’t know exactly how good I have with my family, Felix. I’ll never take that for granted.”

“I know. Do you really think your dad is gonna be mad at you because you’re taking care of your nephews? Because you feel bad about what Carly’s going through? Look, I know the whole back story, so I’m not gonna tell you that you’re wrong to resent her. Or that you have to forgive her. That’s for you to figure out.”

“I think—” Lucas pressed his lips together, then met Felix’s eyes. “Maybe it’s bothering me because I already did. I don’t resent her anymore. How can I? I keep seeing her face from last week—her husband pushing her around, terrorizing her and her kids—I was so angry at him for coming after her when she clearly couldn’t deal with it—” He sighed. “I didn’t want her to be my sister, man, but I think maybe she is, and I don’t know if that’s okay.”

“Talk to your dad,” Felix suggested. “And if it feels like he’s not okay with it, well, then you can work with that.”

“Maybe.” Lucas picked up his pencil. “Until then, let’s try not to fail that quiz tomorrow.”

Kelly’s: Dining Room

Portia Robinson wrinkled her nose and set aside the newspaper. “You’d think they’d run out of things to write about.” She sipped her coffee. “A whole week of this, and they still got nothing new to say.”

Taggert glanced at the story she’d been reading, analyzing the PCPD’s refusal to press charges against Sonny for the Brownstone. “They know why we didn’t arrest him.”

“Yeah, but following the law and listening to victims doesn’t sell papers.” Portia snorted. “Vultures. I get that he’s the local godfather, but aren’t they tired of him yet?”

“Sonny Corinthos has been selling papers in this city longer than I’ve lived here.” Taggert picked up the story and scanned the particulars. “Yeah, I’m not surprised. They think we’re weak after last year.”

“Mikki said a few things,” Portia said. “You guys got some bad press with the kidnapping and park rapist cases.”

“Yeah, they were my cases.” Taggert sighed, grimacing when he saw his transfer mentioned. “The Lansing case is how I ended up in Major Crimes. Burnt out on Corinthos and his crap. Now, he’s shoving his face into my squad all over again.”

She lifted a brow. “But Jason Morgan works for him, and you went to the wedding.”

“Under extreme duress. I told you that then. I went for the bride.”

“Right, right, the papers talked about her being the center of all that last year.” She tipped her head. “Why didn’t you force Carly or Felix to file charges? You could have. She wanted a report for her divorce lawyer. Charges could have been part of it.”

“A year ago—” Taggert squinted. “A year ago, I would have. I wouldn’t have cared what Carly needed—I would have just seen the cuffs slapping on Corinthos for something I could prove. But then…” He shook his head, picked up his coffee.

“Then what?”

“Then Lansing happened. And I focused on Corinthos. I thought there was a mob tie, and I wasted time following that lead. I didn’t see Capelli and Mac behind my back, thinking Elizabeth was involved. They planted a story about Elizabeth and Morgan—he’d been going to the house  all week. Searching for Carly, mostly. But he was worried about Elizabeth being around Lansing. They made it seem like it was an affair.”

“Well, six months later, they’re married with a baby on the way—”

“It wasn’t that simple,” Taggert argued, “and either way—we had a guy accused of kidnapping a pregnant woman, and we suspected him of drugging his wife to hide it. We don’t hand him more ammunition—” He stared down at his half-eaten breakfast. “Lansing attacked Elizabeth. I got there, and there were scratches and bruises—and this was before we knew he was dosing her with birth control pills that nearly killed her.”

“Marcus.” Portia reached across the table to squeeze his hand. “You don’t blame yourself, do you?”

“No. No, not all the way. But I could have done a better job. I could have done better by Elizabeth—and Carly. They were what mattered. Focusing on Corinthos—it was turning me into those cops I hated growing up. The ones that would frisk you just for walking down the street—” He stopped. “This is ancient history, Portia. No point in getting into it.”

“It’s your history, and that means it matters.” But she smiled at him. “Hopefully, someone will come along and give the Herald something to write about so we can all move on from Sonny Corinthos.”

Quartermaine Estate: Family Room

“Grandfather,” Ned said, strolling into the room later that evening. “Just the man I was looking for.”

“Whatever your mother says, I didn’t do it,” Edward said immediately, making a face. He looked at Lila. “I didn’t.”

Ned scowled. “What’s that supposed to mean? What are the two of you up to?”

“Nothing, nothing—”

“Edward,” Lila said, a warning clear in her tone. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.” Edward smiled brightly. “You said you were looking for me? What’s on your mind? How can I help?”

Still suspicious, Ned took a seat and decided to let it go. He could spend his entire life chasing his grandfather and his shenanigans, but he only had so much time. “I’m going to New Orleans this weekend.”

“New Orleans? Oh, to see AJ?” Lila beamed. “How is he? He hasn’t called in a few days.”

“Reprobate,” Edward muttered. “Has he screwed something up? I haven’t looked into—”

“On the contrary.” Ned was already exhausted by the extremes in the conversation. Lila would always believe the best about everyone, while Edward thought people were rotten, dirty bastards. How they’d managed to sustain a marriage lasting more than a half-century was beyond him— “The latest reports suggest AJ is managing well. Profits are up twenty percent. Being away from this family suits him,” he added dryly.

Edward narrowed his eyes. “If he’s doing well, then why are you going?”

There was no way Ned would mention Carly was considering letting AJ back into Michael’s life. If Edward sniffed that out, Carly would change her mind so fast that their heads would be spinning. “I’ve mostly left ELQ to the managers and Mother. But she’s concentrating on New York, and you’re semi-retired.”

“I’d like to see him actually retired,” Lila said, glancing at her husband. “Is ELQ faltering?”

“No, but it’s not as strong as it could be with a full-time CEO here in Port Charles. I’m flying down to feel AJ out. He may say no,” Ned said quickly as Edward opened his mouth. “But I wanted to see how he’d feel about it. I think he’s ready, Grandfather, and I think he’s owed this chance.”

“Owed,” Edward muttered but then sighed when he saw Lila’s face. Maybe he thought the same as Ned. Their beloved Lila was fading, and so much of the family had scattered over the years. She’d perk up with more of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren to enjoy. “All right. Put out the feelers. Let me know what you think.”

Kelly’s: Diner

“Hey, Lu,” Carly said. She set down her purse and took a seat at the table. “Mama said she wanted me to pick up her receipts and paperwork.”

“Oh, okay, I’ll get it together for you,” Lulu replied. “You want your usual?”

Carly nodded as she took out her phone and saw that Alexis had left a voicemail. She listened, taking a deep breath when she learned Ned had arranged for a trip to New Orleans to meet with AJ.

She glanced up when a shadow fell over her table and frowned slightly. “Uh, hey. Laura.”

Laura offered Carly a smile. “Lulu’s finishing up her shift in a bit, so I came to pick her up. You mind if I sit down?”

“Uh, okay.” Carly’s frown only deepened as the other woman sat down. “Are you..um, you okay? Did you need something?”

“Well, I saw you sitting here, and it occurred to me that you and I don’t know each other very well.”

“Uh…” Her brain felt like it was on the fritz. “No. We, ah, don’t.”

Laura’s smile deepened. “And you can’t imagine why I care.”

“No.” A little relieved that Laura had said so, Carly nodded, “No, I honestly can’t. I mean, I know Mama and Luke are close, but—”

“Bobbie’s always been an excellent aunt to my children, including Nikolas. I’d like to do the same with her kids.” Laura hesitated. “I wanted to tell you that I was thinking about what you’ve been through.”

Carly hesitated. “Look, Laura—”

“Last year, I spent most of my time sitting in a chair, unable to get outside of my own head,” Laura told her. “I’d been through so many terrible things that I’d kept pressing down and pushing away. When I came home, I promised myself that I wouldn’t let that happen again. That’d I deal with things head on.”

Carly tilted her head, studied Laura for a long moment. “What was it like? Being locked inside your head? Do you remember any of it?”

“Not really,” Laura admitted. “But every once in a while, I’d come out of it, and I’d be scared. I didn’t know where I was, what was going on—and for a while, by the time I was starting to get oriented, I’d fade out again. It was months before I could stay awake longer than an hour. But  I made it back home.”

“I…that happened to me a little last summer,” Carly murmured. “After I was rescued. I’d see Michael—my little boy—and I’d remember that last night—when he’d been there, trying to stop Ric from—just looking at him brought back the terror, and I’d—” She took a deep breath. “I’d disappear.”

“I’m so sorry,” Laura said softly. “Are you doing better?”

“Most of the time. I’m okay with Michael now. I worked on that in therapy. I, uh, was diagnosed with acute stress disorder,” Carly clarified. “But—” She met Laura’s eyes again, and this time—didn’t see a stranger. “You know about December. What he put me through.”

“I do.”

A tear slid down her cheek. “When Sonny came to the Brownstone, I was so scared that it was happening again,” she admitted. “That it would be just like before, and this time I wouldn’t be able to stop it, and it would be starting all over again—and that I’d look at my son and—”

Laura slid a napkin across the table. “I have those moments, too. For all the work I put in, for all the support my family gave me, I’m terrified that I’ll lose myself again. And that next time, they won’t be able to bring me back.”

“That’s why I can’t go back,” Carly told Laura. “Sonny wants me to stay locked up until Ric is caught, but I can’t—I can’t. I can’t be locked away. Even for my own safety. Because it’ll just happen all over again. I have to protect myself.”

Laura nodded. “If you ever need to talk to someone, I’m here. I’ve been where you are, Carly. And I don’t want either of us to go back.”

“You lost months—” Carly shook her head. “It’s not the same. I wasn’t as bad—”

“It started small for me,” Laura replied. “I was still lucid, still talking. Even if I wasn’t always sure where I was, Luke or one of my children—they could look at me, and I’d be okay. I could snap out of it. Until the day I couldn’t. Until the horror of what I’d done—” She swallowed hard. “Until it broke me.”

Carly blinked back the tears. Oh, God, Laura really did understand. “I, um, I’m okay, but I appreciate—if—” She took a deep breath. “If I need someone, I’ll let you know.”

“You do that.” Laura squeezed her hand, and for a moment, Carly didn’t feel quite so alone.

Harborview Towers: Hallway

Max threw up his hands when he saw Luke step off the elevator. “Oh, come on, how’d you get past security?”

Luke smirked, though he didn’t feel very amused at the moment. “You know better than that, Giambetti.” He’d been around Sonny and the organization since the man had clawed to the top nearly a decade ago.

He knew more about Sonny’s rise to power than anyone else still living in Port Charles. There would always be a man or two left that owed a favor to Luke Spencer.

“I open the door for you, I’m gonna b sleeping with the fishes,” Max muttered, but he knocked on the door. “Yo, Mr. C?”

The door jerked open, and Sonny narrowed his eyes at his former partner. “What the hell do you want?” he demanded.

“Is that any way to talk to an old friend?” Luke said with a lift of his brows, “or are you still sore that I shoved you out of the club?”

Sonny scowled, dragged a hand through his disheveled hair, then stalked back into the penthouse. He left the door open, which Luke decided to treat as an open invitation. “And you were worried,” he said, lightly smacking Max in the abdomen. The guard winced, and Luke followed Sonny into the living room.

“If you’re here because you’re having issues with the club,” Sonny said, pouring himself a bourbon, “then you’re barking up the wrong tree. Tommy handles all of that.”

“Tommy’s still around?” Luke said. “I’d have thought you’d get tired of his pompous arrogance.” Sonny smirked, and Luke felt a bit of a relief. There was the old friend he’d known once. “No, that’s good to know, though. Haven’t been many issues since you shoved out Roscoe last year. Thanks for that, by the way. Bastard came around a few times trying to get protection.” He snorted. “Maybe he thought I’d gone soft.”

“Yeah, well, Roscoe was handled, and—” Sonny made a face. “Other than Alcazar and Lansing, things are good.”

“Yeah, like I said, no issues down where I am on the waterfront.”

“If it’s not about the club, why are you here? You wanted out of all of this.”

“I did, and I still do. You know the kid decided to go straight, and I was a crappy enough father when he was growing up — I owe it to him to keep my nose clean.” Luke shifted. “Hell of a thing, my kid a cop.”

“Lucky always had a sense of right and wrong,” Sonny murmured. “Thought he’d end up like Jason, but a cop doesn’t feel that far off.”

“Not a bad point. Cowboy is why I’m here. About his visit.”

“Don’t think I don’t know how he got upstairs,” Sonny said sourly. He sipped his bourbon. “Not many of the old guard left.”

“But enough.” Luke slipped his hands into his pockets. “I know you and Morgan are having your issues these days—”

“I don’t want to talk about it—”

“I get it, but I can’t have you coming over and harassing Barbara Jean—”

“I’m not,” Sonny bit out. “I’m talking to my wife—”

“Seems to me there’s a whole lot of talking going on and not a lot of listening.” Luke cleared his throat. “You really think Jason would take off for no reason and leave Carly and the kids if he thought this Lansing guy was a real threat?”

“Are you asking me about the business?” Sonny demanded. “You wanted to be out of it—”

“You know better than that, Corinthos,” Luke said softly. “As long as people that matter to me are tied up in it, I’ll never be out. Caroline is my niece—”

“Since when do you give a damn about that—”

“I’ve been distracted the last few years, Sonny, and you damn well know it. First, you took off and left the business to a kid who wasn’t ready to handle it, and then Lucky—” Luke’s chest tightened. “I had some issues there. And things fell apart with Laura. The Cassadines took my boy. By the time I looked up, you and I were too far apart. It didn’t matter that the fire wasn’t on you. I shoved you out of the club because that’s what Laura needed. But I never blamed you and Morgan.”

“It could have been us,” Sonny murmured. “We were going after Moreno to take back the clubs and the old territory Jason had sold off—” Suddenly, his old friend looked weary. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have left. He was too young to handle it, and he ran. Gave away everything I built.”

“He didn’t think he had a choice. Sonny—this Carly thing—you’re holding on too tight, and you’re choking her—”

“Don’t you think I know that?” Sonny growled, whirling to face Luke. “Don’t you think I—” He curled his hand into a fist. “But I have to protect her. I didn’t before. I let that bastard keep breathing because he came from my mother. He has her eyes. I couldn’t—I couldn’t kill him. Not then.”

“Sonny—”

“He’s still out there—” Sonny flung his hand out towards the penthouse windows overlooking downtown of Port Charles. “Still planning to come back and take everything—”

“The thing is, Sonny,” Luke said, waiting for the other man to meet his eyes, “when you feel threatened, you do terrible things—”

“I didn’t mean to lock her in the room like that—” Sonny began, his cheeks flushing, but Luke shook his head.

“I’m not talking about Carly and the bedroom a few months ago. I’m talking old and ancient business. I know you, Sonny, better than anyone else. You need to get this shit under control, let Carly live her damn life, and you need to fix things with Jason. He didn’t want the business seven years ago. He still doesn’t want the power. But that doesn’t mean he won’t take it if he has to. This time, he can handle it. Don’t push him, Sonny.”

Sonny stared down into his bourbon. “You didn’t want to be involved,” he said flatly. “Let’s keep it that way.”

He’d gotten as far as he could, so Luke nodded. “Fair enough. But you know where to find me if you need anything.”

Lake House: Master Bedroom

“You know what I’m going to miss when this is over?” Elizabeth asked as Jason lifted her dinner tray from her lap. “Being waited on hand and foot. A girl could get used to this.”

He managed a smile for her because he knew that was what she wanted, but he didn’t feel it. Could Elizabeth see how pale she was? How the circles under her eyes deepened every day? He stayed awake, listening to her breathe. He’d done that countless times since her embolism last summer, but now—

Now he was afraid to sleep at all, terrified she’d leave him in the middle of the night, and he’d wake—

“Jason?”

He cleared his throat, then turned back to her, careful to keep his worries hidden. What good would it do to upset her? She wasn’t going to change her mind, and he didn’t want to cause more stress with arguments that would only go in circles like this week. Nothing had changed. “I’m going to check my messages.”

“Oh, okay. Let me know if Emily or Bobbie left any.”

He carried the tray out into the kitchen and cleaned up from dinner before reaching for the burner phone. There were only two messages. One from Justus, letting him know he had a bad feeling about the divorce, but nothing specific. The second was Monica, checking in on Elizabeth and her health.

They weren’t supposed to go back to Port Charles until Monday morning. Four more days. For the first time, he thought that maybe Elizabeth was right. Maybe they should go home early. Her condition wasn’t getting much better here, despite the constant rest and lack of stress, and if staying away only created more stress for them when they returned—

Jason needed to talk to Carly again before she filed. Sonny would be even more distracted from the job, and while Jason knew that Justus was doing his best to hold things together—

Jason put the phone on the charger and went back to the bedroom. Elizabeth had switched on one of her reality shows, the audio down low. “What is it tonight?” he asked.

“Oh, it’s just a rerun of that new Donald Trump one where he fires people.” She wrinkled her nose. “He’s a terrible person, did you know that?”

“Yeah.” Jason climbed into bed next to her. “We had some run-ins with him, actually. Sonny has an interest in a few of the casinos in Atlantic City.” He squinted at the screen. “Why does he fire people?”

“For being bad at business or something. It’s not one I like, but it’s on, and sometimes that’s enough. He’s an idiot, though. Always firing people for stupid reasons. I hope it gets canceled.” She rested her head against his shoulder. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“You hate my shows, and you always make me feel like you’re interested when you ask questions. Don’t think I don’t notice.”

“I like when you explain things to me.” He reached for her hand, drawing it into his lap. “Justus has a bad feeling about the divorce and custody coming up.” Jason felt Elizabeth tense next to him. “And he’s probably right.”

“We could—”

“We might have to,” he said, anticipating what she was going to say.

“We almost made it two weeks, though. That’s good.”

“Justus said he’d call me when he finds out more. Right now, he just has a feeling.” He paused. “I’m going to tell Sonny about the CTEPH when we get back. He needs to know that he can’t come over and start fights anymore.”

“Okay. Em already knows, so I’ll tell Bobbie. And Nikolas,” she added. “You’ll tell Carly? She’ll want to hear it from you.”

“Yeah.” He waited a minute. “Are you okay with everyone knowing?”

“They already know something isn’t right, don’t they? Nikolas and Bobbie knew I was having tests. I’m sure Carly noticed something was up with you. I wanted the wedding be about us, and it was.”

Except for her run-in with Sonny and the crisis it had brought on. Jason grimaced. “It might not change anything with Sonny. He knew what Carly was dealing with, and he’s still acting the same way. I need you to do everything you can to avoid Sonny until you check in for delivery.”

“I will—”

“I mean it. If he comes in, you go upstairs. I’ll take you up and down otherwise, so save your one trip for him.”

“I promise,” Elizabeth stressed. “I know I haven’t always been good about that, but I really will try this time. I don’t feel up to a fight with him anyway.”

“Okay.” Jason wished they lived somewhere else, but it was too late in her pregnancy to go somewhere else. The Towers was secure—even more so since Vinnie Esposito had wiled his way into getting Elizabeth alone.

He’d have to find a way to keep Sonny from making things worse. Somehow.